By Carol Britton Meyer
The newly renamed Hingham Center for Active Living – formerly referred to as “the senior center” – more accurately reflects the lifestyle of the many older residents who participate in the wide variety of activities offered there.
An important part of the active lifestyle experienced by seniors in many communities is volunteerism – whether for the senior centers they frequent, their town government, or another opportunity.
“Volunteering is a way to expand the seemingly shrinking circle of post-retirement life. With the average lifespan increasing, people spend more time in retirement than ever before,” Hingham Center for Active Living Director Jennifer Young told the South Shore Senior News. “Many of those years are healthy and active. The earlier people take control of their social, emotional, spiritual, and physical health, the longer they will be healthy and able to remain active.”
Council on aging/senior center directors in Norwell, Hanover, Hingham, and Hull shared their thoughts about the benefits of volunteerism, not only to the COAs and senior centers they serve in a number of capacities, but also to the volunteers themselves.
“Volunteering strengthens ties to the community and is a great way to meet people who are new to an area or to volunteering,” Hull Council on Aging Director Lisa Thornton said.
Volunteers are an essential part of what the Hull senior center senior is able to offer to the community, and an opportunity for older residents to share their hidden skills and talents.
Finding joy and meaning in serving others
“In sharing your joy with others, you will likely find joy and meaning yourself,” Thornton said. “Additionally, volunteering offers health benefits by improving physical and mental health, providing a sense of purpose, and nurturing new and existing relationships.”
Hull senior center volunteer opportunities include providing administrative assistance, technical support, lunch help at the Surf Cafe, and rides to medical appointments, as well as helping to plan special events and parties, and leading classes.
Hull senior center volunteer Colleen Buczyniski enjoys driving other seniors to medical appointments and serving as a checker for the center’s Monday bingo games. She also works at the front desk.
“Greeting everyone with a friendly smile is important,” she said. “I feel a sense of purpose and happiness in helping others, and I enjoy meeting new people.”
Young thinks of retirement as “a very exciting time in seniors’ lives. You can travel, pick up old or new hobbies and interests, and spend long overdue quality time with your loved ones.”
So, how can seniors find ways to keep the fun and excitement in their new phase of life once the “honeymoon” phase is over?
Volunteering a ‘gratifying way’ to fill some time
“Even seniors who have been retired for years need ways to feel engaged and productive in their own lives, and volunteering can be a gratifying way to fill some of their time,” Young said.
Whatever name towns use to describe their gathering places for seniors, these centers “offer dozens to hundreds of programs every month to engage their members physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually to enhance the quality of their lives. This includes opportunities to volunteer,” Young explained. “As a center director, I have met many people over the last 13 years who are in their late 70s or 80s who insist they are too young to go to one of these centers and hang out with ‘old people.’ We counter this argument by offering them a chance to help. Not long afterwards, they admit that they wish they had come in sooner.”
Hingham Center for Active Living volunteers help with marketing, graphic design, community engagement, organizing meals and outings, teaching classes, preparing taxes, and more.
Joe Nevins, chair of the Hingham Council on Aging, says it’s been a “great experience as we work to understand the needs of seniors in town and to develop plans for a new and expanded Center for Active Living.”
In addition, he noted, many of the volunteer positions on Hingham town boards and committees are filled by people over 55, some who are new to Hingham while others are long-term residents who now have the time to engage with the community.
Many volunteers utilize skills learned from careers
“Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, utilize skills learned from work careers, and to benefit others,” Nevins said. “I would encourage our older residents to fill out a talent bank application or find a local group with whom to share their expertise.”
The Norwell Council on Aging provides programming and support services for individuals ages 60 and older, their families, and caregivers.
“Like many organizations, volunteers play a critical role and often assist in multiple areas,” COA Director Susan Curtin said. “We are privileged to have 53 wonderful, dedicated volunteers to support our mission in serving Norwell’s older residents.”
Many Norwell volunteers come to the COA after retiring, Curtin said. “It’s a great opportunity to connect with others, to share their time, talents and knowledge, and to be part of the larger community. Not only do they help support the Council on Aging and our efforts, but it helps create connections for them as well.”
Norwell volunteers serve in a number of capacities, from helping with the Meals on Wheels program to leading a walking group, to joining the Friends of the Norwell Council on Aging.
Providing support for programs and outreach efforts
The Friends group is a non-profit organization that provides support for programs and outreach efforts that are not funded through the Norwell COA’s municipal budget.
“Last year, the Friends provided 220 volunteer hours for event planning, fundraising, and support,” Curtin said. “Adults of all ages are welcome to be part of the Friends.”
This year, in addition to supporting social and community events, Norwell volunteers provided:
• 1,306 hours of service to the COA and older adults;
• 5,527 home-delivered meals to frail and at-risk elders;
• 1,056 social meals served at the senior center; and
• 9,900 newsletters prepped for mailing out to 1,600 households.
Curtin noted that “$32,897 represents the financial equivalent of [the] volunteer services [rendered].”
Volunteering at the Hanover Council on Aging or working in town departments through the town’s property tax work-off program – under which qualifying Hanover residents 65 and older benefit from a property tax reduction based on the number of hours they work – “gives seniors a sense of purpose and helps overcome the stereotype that older workers might not be as effective as younger ones,” Director Tammy Murray said.
While participating in a tax work-off program doesn’t meet the traditional definition of “volunteerism,” the $15 hourly rate is lower than one might expect to get paid in the “outside” professional world, so in essence, participating seniors are contributing some of their time as a labor of love.
Many seniors are on fixed incomes, so this partial lifting of the property-tax burden from their shoulders comes as a relief, while town departments benefit from their years of experience in the workforce.
The towns of Norwell, Hull, and Hingham also offer tax work-off programs for qualifying seniors.
Hanover COA volunteers cover the front desk and serve in the cafe and as instructors for various programs. “One gentleman plants and maintains our beautiful garden,” Murray said.
If a certain group or town entity is looking for senior volunteers such as the school department, a flier is posted.
Seniors looking for ways to expand their horizons are encouraged to check with their local Council on Aging or senior center for volunteer opportunities.
